Never Take What You Have For Granted
by MissLevinLover
Summary: For Ben Tennyson everything in his life was wonderful, He had a caring girlfriend and 2 great team-mates. But a mission from a old friend will soon make him realise how special they really are.


_**A/N Okay, you know in Ben 10,000 returns when Paradox said there were infinite parallel universes? Well an idea popped into my head that, because Ben had been so cocky and takes what he had for granted he could use this to his advantage, like he did with Gwen to teach him a lesson. **_

_**Oh and Thanks to all who have favoured and reviewed my work, you guys rock! Also I have a nice long one shot coming up called Wherever I Go, and it should be coming to your screens shortly.**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. No seriously, I don't. **_

Ben contently whistled to himself as he drove down his street towards his home. Everything in his life right now was going great, he and Julie were back on track and going stronger than ever, his grades were dramatically improving (With help from his girlfriend) and the media attention had died down considerably. Added with the fact there hadn't been an alien sighting for a good couple of weeks, meant Ben was one happy hero.

Pulling up to his house the 16 year-old parked his car neatly in the driveway and headed inside, whistling to himself all the way. After giving his parents a very enthusiastic greeting, which earned him confused and slightly afraid looks from them, he went to his room.

Flopping down on his messy, unmade bed the cheerful teen flipped on the medium size TV that was situated at the end of his bed. The screen flickered to life, illuminating the dimly lit room, just as the theme tune to Sumo Slammers began to play. Pushing down the urge to let out a very girlish scream, he settled back onto his pillows, ready to sit and watch the 5 hour marathon.

An hour and half later and the brunette was still sat in the same place, emerald gaze glued to the TV screen in a furious stare that would make people think the appliance would blow up if not watched carefully.

"Benjamin!" a familiar, chipper voice called out, cutting through the sound of the characters lame battle puns. In a quick flash of light Paradox appeared in the centre of the room, startling the hero and causing him to fall off his bed and land in an undignified heap on rough carpeted floor.

"My dear boy, what are you doing on the floor" Paradox enquired, as he looked at the jumbled mess of limbs that was supposed to be the Saviour of the Universe.

"Oh you know, just making sure gravity still works" he bit back sarcastically, annoyed at the fact he had been again interrupted whilst watching Sumo Slammers. Untangling himself, the hero pulled himself off the floor and sat on the edge of the bed, a curious expression on his face.

"What are you doing here anyway?, the only time you ever come around is if the universe is in danger and there hasn't been an alien threat for weeks" Ben asked, determined to find out the reason for the timeless man's sudden appearance.

But the time-travelling hero wasn't listening to a word the boy said, but instead was staring intently at the TV screen were Sumo Slammers continued to play.

"I never did get the concept of children's television, to me it seemed so…" he spun his hand in a circle, as if in an attempt to speed up his thinking process "pointless." he finished, his face contorting into one of thought.

Ben stared at the man, brows knitted together in confusion._ How did we get from the universe maybe being in danger to talking about kids shows? _he thought to himself as he continued to stare at the late night guest.

"Hmm, anyway, were was I" He clicked his fingers as his face lit up as he remembered "Oh yes, the reason I am here. Now I am here to send you on a mission, but I cannot divulge what kind of mission it is, nor can I tell you what you must do."

The saviour of the universe could help but feel even more confused than he was before. Why couldn't Paradox tell him about the mission? Was it that important and risky that he couldn't know? A surge of excitement flush through his veins as he thought of all the cool reasons why he couldn't know about the mission.

"Now, come Benjamin, we must get going. Remember time waits for no-one, except of course for me" with that the time-less man pulled out a gold pocket watch, its once shiny gold casing now dulled and scratched from use. In another flash of blinding light, the two heroes disappeared.

Ben let out a scream of fear and surprise as he felt himself falling through the air. Before he could even begin to react, he hit the ground on his back with a loud "Oomph" .

"Is it just me or do I seem to be falling more than usual today" he grumbled to himself whist rubbing his sore back. Just then Paradox appeared a small smile on his face.

"Nice of you to drop in Ben" he quipped, earning him a sharp glare from the teen on the floor. Ignoring it, he surveyed his surroundings. Noting he was in the right place, he turned to his companion.

"Now I have taken you to were you must start your mission" he told the hero, who was pulling himself of the floor and brushing the dirt of his jeans. Looking round, Ben realised he was outside his bedroom window. Confused, he turned to the professor for an explanation.

"But all you did is take me to outside my window, and you still haven't told me what I have to do!" he pointed out, a slight trace of anger in his voice. He was tired, sore and just wanted to get back to watching Sumo Slammers.

"Things are not always what they seem Benjamin. You of all people should very well know that. You shall find out what you must do soon enough, good luck!" And with that Paradox was gone, leaving a very exasperated and confused Ben to ponder what the immortal man's last words had meant.

Sighing to himself, the teenage hero began to climb back into his bedroom, But with his tiredness and clumsiness combined, and the fact that gravity seemed to like being a bitch to the poor boy, meant it was a mission doomed to fail. Slipping on the polished window sill, Ben tumbled through his bedroom window and landed painfully on his face.

A muffled "Ow!" escaped his smothered lips. Pushing himself up with his arms, he took a look around his room. He frowned as his gaze settled on the TV, _wasn't that on when I left? _he asked himself, but came to the conclusion that his parents must have turned it off, probably thinking he had gone off to another mission.

Deciding I would be safer to crawl to his bed, the teen squinted into what seemed as never ending darkness. Soon he was able to make two darker blobs of colour that he assumed were his bed and desk a few feet away. Tentatively he started crawling forward, but the Tennyson male had never been a good judge of distance, which in this situation would be his downfall. Not concentrating, Ben didn't notice the desk in front of him, causing him to smash his head against the hard solid oak leg. A few cuss words slipped from his lip as he rubbed the sore spot on his head, were he was sure a nice rich purple bruise would blossom by the morning.

Grumbling to himself, he heaved himself up onto his soft mattress. Flopping face-first onto his pillow he let out a sigh of content. He could feel his eye-lids dropping and welcomed sleep. As he drifted off into un consciousness the hero didn't realise what lay in store for him.

_**A/N: oohhhh so what does Paradox have in store for Benji? Who knows? (Okay I do but I'm not spilling yet)**_

_**Read and review!**_


End file.
